A Game of Chess, Ch. 2 (PG-13)

[librarian_7]

Disclaimer: If you recognize it from Moonlight, I don't own it. Otherwise, it's mine.

Yes, once again, it's New York City, and it's 1863. Lincoln was president...


A Game of Chess

Chapter 2

Josef and Schuyler paused outside the curtained door of the Marshall box to take a last brush at their black coats.

“I think we’re presentable,” Sky said, “but trust me, Mrs. Marshall—old Mrs. Marshall—has eyes like an eagle.” He shook his head. “I still can’t get used to Cam being married. It’s only been about six months.”

“We’ll just have to hope we pass muster, then,” Josef replied, as Sky knocked on the doorframe.

Once inside, he addressed his first greeting to the older woman, an imperious matron in her fifties, her iron gray hair and stout figure set off by the conservative cut of her black satin evening dress and the wide diamond choker she wore. Josef assessed her at once as a formidable power both in her family and her social circle.

“Schuyler, what brings you here?” Mrs. Marshall demanded with a smile.

“I was dazzled by your beauty,” he responded, “drawn to your flame, poor moth that I am.”

She laughed and tapped him with her folded black lace fan. “Still incorrigible, Schuyler. I don’t believe a word of it.”

“I’m devastated that you would doubt me.” He indicated Josef, standing next to him. “And I’ve brought a friend to support me in my worship.”

She cast a look at Josef, a small crease appearing between her fine brows. “I suppose you wish to introduce me to your friend?”

“If I may, dear lady.”

A negligent, practiced move of the fan granted permission.

“I should like,” Schuyler said, “to present my friend, Mr. Josef Fitzgerald. Mr. Fitzgerald, Mrs. Honoria Marshall.”

The dowager extended her hand, and Josef took her fingertips in his gloved hand, bowing slightly. “Charmed, madame,” he said. “Mr. Smith has spoken highly of you.”

“Somehow I doubt that, Mr. Fitzgerald,” she replied. “I know what you young men are like. Especially dear Schuyler.” She laughed to show she was merely being social, and moved the topic forward. “Have you been in the city long? You look familiar.”

“A few months. I have business concerns in Philadelphia, but I have decided to relocate to New York for the time being.”

The older woman was looking at him speculatively, tapping her fan against a lace-mitted hand. “Philadelphia, Fitzgerald,” she muttered, then a light broke over her face. “Of course. Are you related to Robert Fitzgerald, of that city? Your father, perhaps?”

Josef considered briefly denying a connection. After all, it was a fairly common name. Meanwhile, he was trying to remember his last stay in New York, some thirty-two years earlier. Had he known an Honoria? Not by her married name, of course. And then he had it. Honoria Vane. He almost smiled before he caught himself. She’d been a wild young thing—in 1831. Obviously, there’d been some changes. “Of course,” he said. “My Uncle Bobby. He used to speak of the beautiful girls of New York City. I see he did not exaggerate.”

Mrs. Marshall almost simpered. “He was a great flatterer. And I see his nephew carries on the family tradition. You had more than your share of beau yeux from him, young man.”

Josef smiled, obscurely pleased to be remembered so favorably. “Who is the flatterer now, Mrs. Marshall?” he asked, teasing.

She laughed, to the amazement of her family and Schuyler Smith. “And how does your uncle fare, Mr. Fitzgerald? Is he well?”

Josef put on a slightly downcast face. “I’m afraid we don’t know, Mrs. Marshall. He was investigating some business ventures in New Orleans, when the war broke out. We’ve had no word of him for two years now. Father is very worried.”

Mrs. Marshall squinted a bit. “You know, I don’t recall Bobby Fitz every mentioning family."

“I don’t doubt that. Father and Uncle Bobby had their share of—disagreements, when they were younger. But they’d reconciled, oh, long ago.”

Mrs. Marshall nodded sagely. “That’s good. No one should be without family.” She looked at him more pointedly. “Not even wild young men loose in a strange city.”

Josef bowed again. “You do me too much credit,” he said dryly.

“But I’m sure Schuyler didn’t bring you here just to talk to me,” she continued.

“I had hoped to introduce Mr. Fitzgerald to Cam,” Schuyler interjected mildly. “And Mrs. Cam, of course.”

“Of course.” The black lace fan snapped open. “Camden, where are you?”

A young man, blondly, blandly handsome and impeccably dressed, moved forward and extended his hand to Josef. “Camden Marshall, Mr. Fitzgerald. Always a pleasure to meet a friend of Sky—of Mr. Smith’s.”

“The pleasure is mine.” The pace of the conversation was galling to Josef. Normally, he had all the patience in the world, but intermission would be over soon, and the smell of vampire in the box had all his senses on heightened alert. The mysterious woman he’d spotted was still tucked away in the shadowy recesses of the box.

“And I’d like to present my wife, Mrs. Camden Marshall,” Cam said.

A young woman, slender and timid, with dull light-brown hair, came to Camden’s side, her features half-hidden behind a fluttering fan.

Josef bowed again. This was becoming decidedly tedious. The wife was of no interest to him, a nonentity. He caught Schuyler’s eye, and flicked a glance toward the woman in the shadows. He was pleased to see Sky take the hint at once. But then again, the human lived in a world defined by the subtle glance, the quick unnoticed touch, the most oblique of words.

Schuyler instantly looked to the last important person in the box. “Cam, my boy, you haven’t introduced us to your guest.”

“Maybe I’m keeping her for myself,” he replied. He was smiling, his tone full of social lightness, but Josef noted a dark, possessive passion in his eyes that gave his statement the weight of truth. And to Josef’s senses, at least, there was no mistaking the tension in young Mrs. Cam’s back, the sudden flash, Josef was surprised to note, of anger in the young woman’s hidden face. Interesting.

“Now, now,” Schuyler chided, “you already have your share of beauty around you.”

Camden Marshall frowned. “Oh, very well, Sky,” he said shortly. He pivoted, extending a hand to the woman in the shadows, his expression softening to an almost besotted degree. “My dear Mademoiselle Duvall, if you would be so kind, these gentlemen beg an introduction.”

She moved forward with a soft rustle of satin and lace, a tall, slender woman with dark hair and a pale, olive complexion. Her rich brown eyes were set off by a tiny beauty mark just below the outer corner of her left eye. Her dress was not the usual pastel or white considered suitable for an unmarried woman, but a deep, shimmering burgundy red, darker than blood. The color was moderated white lace trimming the tiers of the enormous bell of the hoopskirt, and the dropped shoulders of the bodice provided the perfect frame to set off her sultry beauty. Everything about her seemed to point up her foreignness.

As Cam made the introductions, Josef noted that the young man was far under the influence of the vampire woman’s charm. Even the way he pronounced her name made it sound like a caress of his mouth. “Coraline Duvall, until recently, of Paris.”

Josef suspected that if Cam Marshall didn’t bear the marks of a dainty set of fangs just yet, it was only a matter of time. And gauging by the despairing look of Mrs. Cam as Coraline laughed and laid a hand on Cam’s arm, the boy’s family was equally as aware of his danger, even if they had no idea what the threat truly involved.

While vampires, Josef reflected, did not possess the hypnotic powers popularly ascribed to the species, experience, and a certain ruthless willingness to exploit the emotions of impressionable humans rendered their appeal well-nigh irresistible when focused. That this Coraline Duvall, whom Josef judged to have about a century of learning the art of seduction at her fingertips, had set her sights on this human, was obvious. And nothing his formidable mother, or his poor little mouse of a wife, could do or say was going to wrench Cam Marshall free.

Josef didn’t care about any of this. It was none of his affair, even if he did share at least a tenuous connection with Honoria Marshall. He was just pleased to have found another vampire. It was true, he’d discovered that others of his kind, for all their relative scarcity, as often proved to be antagonists as friends. Still, there was always the chance of alliance. He let his thoughts stray briefly to Lola, his hellcat vampire lover. He hadn’t seen her in ten or twelve years, and it was about time for their paths to cross again. But right now, this Coraline had…possibilities.

“Mr. Marshall mentioned you’ve been in Paris recently, Mlle. Duvall?”

“I was born there,” she replied with a wistful smile. She did wistful very well, Josef thought.

“Ah.” Josef switched to French. “The City of Lights must be a little dimmer for your absence.”

Coraline dimpled prettily, and answered in the same language, “Are you testing my knowledge, M’sieu Fitzgerald? Or my accent?”

“Only seeking to communicate.” Although he had to admit, knowledge and accent were impeccable. Whatever else she might be, she was French. And upper class.

Her laugh was musical, like a peal of little bells, and Josef was almost as amused by that as by Cam Marshall’s hostile look. “Of course,” she said with a near imperceptible inclination of her head toward Marshall, registering his displeasure. “You must come and see me privately,” she continued, then spoke again in English, her tone lightly chiding. “Now, Mr. Fitzgerald, we mustn’t be rude to our hosts.”

“You are correct,” Josef responded equably. “My apologies.”

Schuyler, who had been having a quiet word with Mrs. Marshall, interjected at this point, “You know, Fitz, we should be getting back to our box. We wouldn’t want to miss the second act curtain raiser.”

“Very true,” Josef agreed. “I’m sure the second act will be as—unique an experience as the first one was.”

Of all the party, Coraline alone laughed at that.

And during the second act, which Josef found even more excruciating than the first, an usher delivered a calling card, with an address scrawled in pencil across the back.

[allegrita]

Oh, my! New York is getting a lot more interesting suddenly! Josef runs into an old, uh, colleague and meets up with a lovely, and potentially fascinating, new one!

I love the way you describe everyone. I have a perfect vision of that box and its occupants, from their clothes to their mannerisms. Honoria, the stuffy dowager, has a wild past. I love it! And oh, the tangled web of relationships in her family. I do feel sorry for poor Mrs. Cam. How can she compete with Coraline's brilliance and allure? On the other hand, Josef may very well be her inadvertent rescuer, since Coraline is obviously very interested in pursuing Josef's acquaintance. Perhaps she'll remove her claws from Cam and move on to a more worthy game.

This story is delicious, Lucky--you write in the style of the time and location so beautifully. Once again you've got me hooked! I'm on the edge of my seat, waiting for the next chapter.

[Albra]

... interesting ... very interesting ....

Great thanks from newcomer to the Josef's world

[francis]

I so love this. The style, the descriptions, the dialogue. I love the flirty old widow and how Josef finds the right tone with everyone. Coraline has Cam wrapped around her finger, poor Mrs. Cam. Josef testing Coraline in French - great! He's not one to trust your word for it.

She did wistful very well, Josef thought.

Exactly. Like in the show when she talks about the thief. Or when she asks Beth about Mick. Like she couldn't care less and like she would bear an impossible weight on her shoulders at the same time.

Wonderful storyline. And the best: You write in the style of the time, yet it's contemporary enough that a second language speaker understands it. That's an achievement, I tell you. I don't like to get ripped out of a story because I need the dictionary for every second word. You sprinkle those words in just right.

[wollstonecraft61]

Lucky, this chapter is impeccable in its Jamesian descriptions and patois, as well as the ambience of New York's version of the pre- Belle Époque period of the middle 19th century. I loved it. This is writing of the highest caliber. Your descriptions highlight the vamp in the beautiful Coraline, àpropos of her real nature, the deadly vampire. Josef is just as lethal, his true nature hidden beneath a veneer of refinement and sophistication. I love this story because it does remind me so much of Henry James, particularly of his descriptions of society in novels like Washington Square. Just topnotch writing, Lucky, topnotch.

[moonlight_vixen]

I love your descriptive style in this story as I can vividly see the picture of all of them in my head. I love it so far!

[cassysj]

It is so vivid! Vampires must always wonder if their own kind is friend or foe. I'm sure Coraline is always interesting.

[MickLifeCrisis]

I love your descriptive style in this story as I can vividly see the picture of all of them in my head. I love it so far!

Yes, I could picture it all exactly as well! And it is very interesting!! Thanks, Lucky!

[MoonShadow]

I love how you are introducing the pieces and their rank. Chess fans know that the queen is not the most valuable piece, however charming she might be.

Another lovely story and one that keeps me patiently waiting for the next chapter.

[darkstarrising]

Lucky,

Within the confines of an theater box, you present us with your own drama. Your descriptions of each of the characters is vivid: Mrs. Marshall, the grand dame, whose position as the center of the universe is without doubt, at least in her mind. Her son Cam, a man married to a woman he probably has no feelings for (and his wife knows it). Cam is falling under Coraline's spell

And nothing his formidable mother, or his poor little mouse of a wife, could do or say was going to wrench Cam Marshall free.

And just how soon will Josef see Coraline 'privately' and will the encounter render them allies or adversaries.

Love this story

[mitzie]

I love your descriptions of everyone! Your writing is always so vividly detailed that I can picture all of these people in my mind. I love this story and can't wait to see where things go from here...


mitzie

[Phoenix]

“Very true,” Josef agreed. “I’m sure the second act will be as—unique an experience as the first one was.”

Of all the party, Coraline alone laughed at that.

And during the second act, which Josef found even more excruciating than the first, an usher delivered a calling card, with an address scrawled in pencil across the back.

The plot thickens...

[RangerCM]

I'm enjoying this story so much. More to add to the tapestry of Josef's past.

[librarian_7]

Just wanted to thank everyone for the kind words! I'm working on the next chapter, although it may be a little while before it's done. This isn't one I want to hurry.

And woll--Jamesian??? My gosh, what a compliment! I'm glowing over that one, you can bet!

Lucky

[redwinter101]

This is marvellous, Lucky. So evocative - you can feel the tension in that hot little theatre box, and Josef's anticipation. I adore the introduction to Coraline. Absolutely adore it and can't wait to see what happens next.

Red